JCPenney, Aldo Team Up for Shop-In-Shop Concept

Plano, TX and Montreal—JCPenney and Aldo USA announced today that the department store would be the exclusive U.S. retailer for Aldo’s Call it Spring footwear and accessories. The first of 600 shop-within-a-shop concepts is set to open this fall at JCPenney’s Manhattan store.

The Call it Spring shops will then be rolled out to 100 additional JCPenney stores and jcp.com in Spring 2011, following by an addition 500 stores by Fall 2010.

The deal is another in a series of exclusive partnerships that department stores like Macy’s, Kohl’s and JCPenney are initiating to distinguish them from the competition. JCPenney will be the only department store retailer to carry the Call It Spring collection outside of The Aldo Group’s specialty stores.

Targeting Younger Consumers

Much like what is has done with the Sephora shop concepts inside JCPenney’s beauty departments, the Call It Spring shop-within-a-shop concepts will have more 600 square-feet in women’s and a more 400-square-foot shop in men’s consisting of more than 300 styles of footwear and accessories. The Call It Spring line also addresses younger consumers, one of the consumer targets that JCPenney has been pursuing. Aimed at consumers age 15 to 30, the women’s and men’s footwear and women’s handbags would retail between $29.99 to $69.99.

“By giving our customers high-quality, specialty store styling we continue to heighten our competitive advantage and create a sense of discovery within our stores,” said Myron E. (Mike) Ullman, III, chairman and ceo of JCPenney. “Call It Spring is an exciting addition to our footwear and accessories collections and will further establish JCPenney as a style authority and first choice destination for the modern customer.”

Privately held Aldo, which is based in Canda, has more than 1,500 of its own Aldo stores in 50 countries, has been pursuing other retail exclusives. For instance, two weeks ago, Aldo and Kohl’s announced that Aldo would design and produce exclusive footwear for Kohl’s.